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High school basketball recruit ruled ineligible over $857.20 check

Rutgers Athletic Center. Photo: Mitchell Leff/Getty Images

A check for $857.20 changed Rutgers' basketball recruit Maori Davenport's life — but not for the better.

What's happening: The check was sent to Davenport by USA Basketball for "lost wages" during her time with the U-18 team over the summer. Once she cashed it, she was declared ineligible by the Alabama High School Athletic Association, which does not allow payments of more than $250. Now her high school basketball career is effectively over.

USA Basketball routinely checks with the state athletic association on their policies regarding payments, but failed to do so in Davenport's case.

What they're saying:

ESPN'sJay Bilas: " The issue is one of reasonableness. ... Is it reasonable to punish an innocent girl for a clerical error? No."

Brian Agler, coach of the WNBA's Dallas Wings: "I'm just puzzled by the regality of the Alabama High School State Association. … It's one adult group denying her the eligibility while another adult group also made an error."

P.S. ... This isn't the first time a high school athletic association has punished a student for unfortunate circumstances, and it won't be the last.